Vayakhel תרמ”ג 6
בשם מו”ז ז”ל בפסוק האנשים על הנשים לרמוז מעלת בע”ת שאנשים שחטאו נתעלו על הנשים שלא חטאו עכ”ד פח”ח.
In the name of my grandfather, of blessed memory: the verse “the men over the women” hints to the greatness of the baal‑teshuvah, for men who had sinned rose above the women who had not sinned.
The Sefat Emet begins by citing his grandfather: the Torah’s phrasing shows that those who sinned and returned achieved a higher spiritual level than those who never fell.
כי הטו כל הרצונות להתנדב בלב שלם.
For they directed all their desires to donate with a whole heart.
Their elevation came from channeling every inner desire toward pure, wholehearted generosity.
וכתיב והם הביאו כו’ עוד נדבה.
And it is written: “And they brought yet another offering.”
The repetition of offering indicates an overflowing willingness beyond obligation.
עוד הוא יותר מהסדר ודרך הטבע בבוקר בבוקר.
“Yet” means beyond the natural order, as in “morning after morning.”
Their zeal exceeded ordinary rhythm; each morning renewed their drive to give.
ובחטא כתיב רק וישכימו.
But regarding the sin it says only: “And they arose early.”
When they sinned with the Golden Calf, the Torah describes eagerness but without elevated renewal.
וכאן כתיב בבוקר בבוקר.
But here it says: “morning after morning.”
The double expression shows that the enthusiasm for holiness surpassed that earlier misdirected zeal.
וכ’ והמלאכה היתה דים פי’ על המתנדבים שנתקנו כולם בכח נדבה ומלאכה זו.
And it says: “The work was sufficient,” meaning the donors themselves were all repaired through this offering and this work.
“Sufficient” refers not only to materials but to spiritual completion achieved by the givers.
כמו הלשון שכ’ בהחטא ודי זהב.
Like the phrase written about the sin: “and enough gold.”
The Sefat Emet draws a parallel: the same word “enough” appears in the context of sin, showing measure and limit.
ועתה ניתקן הכל.
And now everything was rectified.
The generosity toward the Mishkan reversed the spiritual damage from the earlier sin.
וממילא והותר.
And therefore, it was more than enough.
Once repair was achieved, the result naturally overflowed in abundance.
כי כשנתקנו אחר החטא וזכו שישרה השכינה במעשה ידיהם ממילא הוא יתרון מעלה.
For when they were repaired after the sin and merited that the Shekhinah rest upon their handiwork, this itself was an added greatness.
The presence of the Divine in their actions marks a higher level than before the fall.
כמ”ש במקום שבע”ת עומדין אין צ”ג יכולין לעמוד.
As it is said: “In the place where baalei‑teshuvah stand, even the completely righteous cannot stand.”
This well‑known teaching explains why the rectified state surpasses original innocence.
וז”ש שע”י שהיתה דים לכך והותר.
And this is what it means that because it was “sufficient,” therefore “there was extra.”
The sufficiency of spiritual repair naturally produced surplus blessing.
ויתכן לפרש לכל המלאכה הוא כלל הבריאה שנעשה פגם ע”י החטא בכל העולם וע”י הנדבה ניתקן.
And it may be explained that “for all the work” refers to the whole of creation, which had been blemished by the sin and was repaired through the offering.
The Sefat Emet broadens the idea: the repair of Mishkan‑giving spiritually healed the cosmos.
לעשות הוא לשון תיקון ועוד והותר כנ”ל.
“To do” means to repair, and “there was extra,” as explained above.
The verbs signal cosmic rectification and overflowing restoration.
The Sefat Emet teaches that the donations for the Mishkan were more than material—they restored the world and elevated the penitents above their previous state, turning the energy of sin into a surplus of holiness.
